228 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1917. 



drawn vehicles for most purposes. As a consequence, the de- 

 mand for solid rubber tires will be far greater after the war than 

 it was previous to it, and our manufacturers will continue to 



.\ Sri'PLY Coi-fMN IN" France — All on Ri'bber Tires. 



have good use for the modern niacliincry they have installed to 

 take care of war orders. 



THE CABLE INDUSTRY. 



The shortage and the high cost of coal has been no small 

 source of trouble to all manufacturers in France. Among the 

 measures taken to minimize the ill eiTects of coal scarcity the 

 most important is the active development of water power — white 

 coal, as we call it. This development is resulting in unprece- 

 dented demands for insulated wire and cables ; demands that are 

 sure to continue and to grow after the reijstablishment of peace. 

 The prospects of our electrical industry are, therefore, very 

 bright. Not only will insulated wire and cables have to be sup- 

 plied for the total reconstruction and reequipment of the districts 

 now in the enemy's hands, and which are among the richest 

 industrially of the world, but there will be a demand for the 

 development of new electrical power throughout the country. 



In districts where water power is unavailable, the gas from 

 coke ovens will be used to drive motors, which in turn will dri\ e 

 dynamos to produce electric current for all purposes. 



THE BRUSH INDUSTRY. 



Our brush industry has been unfavorably affected by the war. 

 The bristles, which came mainly from Russia, Roumania and 

 Leipzig, have been difficult to obtain, and the markets for the 

 manufactured goods have been curtailed on account of the war 

 and prohibitive price,=. 



Brush manufacturers here are looking to improved machinery 

 to compensate for the scarcity of labor which will hardly be 

 lessened by the ending of the war. They have also recognized 

 the advantages of setting brush bristles in rubber, and there 

 certainly is an excellent market here for American-made brushes. 



RUBBER TUBES S.WE WOUNDED SOLDIERS. 



A' system of sterilizing wounds, which has been successfully 

 applied in many hospitals here, employs rubber tubes provided 

 with numerous holes through which antiseptic liquids pass to 

 wash out deeply infected wounds. This method of irrigating 

 wounds has reduced amputations by 50 per cent. 



THE USE OF PONCHOS. 

 The square rubber garment, known as a poncho, and long the 

 raincoat of the enlisted man of the United States army, has 

 found equal favor among our soldiers in the trenches. Ponchos 

 are not furnished by our government as part of the regular 

 equipment, but great numbers of them have been supplied by the 

 American LaFayette Fund Society. They are giving full satis- 

 faction and it is not unlikely that they will be officially adopted. 



T 



THE RUBBER INDUSTRY IN SPAIN. 



By a Special Corrcspundciit. 



IE paralyzation of Spain's commercial and industrial life, 

 that immediately followed the outbreak of the war, has 

 gradually passed, and the prosperity now reigning in Barcelona, 

 our greatest commercial and industrial center, was never paral- 

 elled in time of peace. This prosperity is due to numerous 

 orders from belligerent countries and to the fact that our manu- 

 facturers have no longer to suffer from foreign competition, 

 whicli was very bitter before the war. 



THE RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



Our rubber industry has its full share of the general pros- 

 perity. Prior to the war, Spain was not producing more than 

 50 per cent of her requirements in rubber goods. The balance 

 was imported from France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, 

 England and the United States, and consisted chiefly in pneu- 

 matic tires for automobiles. 



Within the past two years our rubber industry has grown so 

 rapidly that it is able now to supply practically all domestic de- 

 mands and to engage in an export trade which, during the past 

 fiscal year, amounted to more than $1,000,000. Prior to the war 

 our rubber manufacturers exported a few articles to Latin 



B.\RCEH)NA I'.aTuk-i 111 Pirelli & Co. 



America, the Canary Islands and the Near East, but their for- 

 eign business had none of the importance it now has. 



Our rubber industry is centered in and around Barcelona. 

 There are concerns in other cities, but not large enough to de- 

 serve mention here. The following are the most important rub- 

 ber factories in the Barcelona district: 



J. Anto. .Arcjos. Agustin, 7. 



I". Capella, Pelayo. 34. 



M. Estobanell. Boqueria. ?i2. 



M. Ferrer Marcet. Union, 3. 



P. Garriga Escarpanter, Rbla. Sta. Monica. 12. 



J. Gasso y Marti, Ancha, 31. 



M. Gisbert y Compaiiia. Paseo Colon, 6. 



Hutchinson, S. A., Rarabla Cataluna, 64. 



G. Klein, Princesa, 61. 



Lacelle y Compania. Universidad, 23. 



S. Llach, S. Pablo. 91. 



Viuda de Mno. Marcet, Pza. Teatro, 6. 



Matas y Compania. Princesa, 6. 



Magpin Papiol, Pelayo. 58. 



Pirelli & Co., Villaneuva y Geltru. 



Ribase Iter, Trafalgar, 5. 



J. Riliera, Puertaferrida. 25. 



J. Rosich, Urgel, 160. 



Luis Ferrer, Fernando. 16. 



Viuda de J. Sabater, Tallers, 6. 



Tusell Hermanos, Fontanella. 20. 



Pablo Fornt, Duquo Tetuan, 25. 



